Dispenser for flowable particulate material

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a device for use with a container for flowable particulate material for dispensing predetermined volumes of the material from the container, the dispenser including an outer element fixed with respect to the container and an inner element slidable with respect to the outer element between an open position and a closed position. When the inner element is in closed position, it forms a plurality of closed compartments with the outer element, with each compartment having a predetermined volume. The outer element has top, bottom and side walls for each of the compartments but no front and back walls; the inner element has front, back and side walls for each compartment but no top and bottom walls. The outer element is provided with a door to discharge the contents of each compartment, and the inner element is provided with an operating handle extending through the wall of the container so that operating the handle causes the inner element to slide between its open and closed position.

United States Patent 1 Austin Dec. 23, 1975 DISPENSER FOR FLOWABLE [76] inventor: Michael i l 132 Cedar There is disclosed a device for use with a container for Berkeley Cahf' 94702 flowable particulate material for dispensing predeter- [22] Filed: Nov, 18, 1974 mined volumes of the material from the tcontiainert; the

4 dis enser including an outer element ixe wit re- [211 App! 524574 spe ct to the container and an inner element slidable with respect to the outer element between an open po- [52] US. Cl. 222/430; 222/450; 222/456 Sition a d a C sed pos ti n- W n th inner el m nt is [51] Int. Cl. G01F 11/28 n Closed position, it forms a plurality of closed [58] Field at Search 222/430, 426, 428, 429, partments i the o e e with each p 222/450, 454, 456, 361, 353, 26, 42 merit having a predetermined volume. The outer element has top, bottom and side walls for each of the References Cited compartments but no front and back walls; the inner UNITED STATES PATENTS element has front, back and side walls for each compartment but no top and bottom walls. The outer ele- 3 9 i ment is provided with a door to discharge the contents 3.l78:080 4/1965 Aromi 222/430 of each compartment, and the inner element 18 prol/l966 Tessin 222/361 x "ided with P 8 hand? extendmg thmugh Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Charles A. Marmot Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Warten, Chickering &

wall of the container so that operating the handle causes the inner element to slide between its open and closed position. 4

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Grunewald 27 e l l i i I 22" I, I i 2 I Q IQ Q a 3.2 i e l I i DISPENSER FOR FIJOWABLE PARTICULATE MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many flowable particulate materials are sold in large containers and are used in small predetermined volumes. Typical of these are such materials as salt, pepper, or other spices which are usually used in recipes in quantities such as tablespoonfuls, teaspoonfuls or fractions of teaspoonfuls. When using such materials in the kitchen, it is usually required to have a separate measuring spoon to dispense just the proper amount of the particulate material into the measuring spoon without using too much because it is too difficult to put such material back into the container. It is also frequently difficult to use these materials without compacting them which results in using too much material.

THE INVENTION This invention is a dispensing device which both measures and dispenses particulate material from a large container without the use of a separate measuring means. This invention is a device that is used as a permanentlyattached part of a large container for particulate material. Typically, the device of this invention forms the top or the bottom of the container.

The device of this invention is completely within the container and it includes an outer element that is fixed with respect to the container and an inner element that is movable with respect to the container and with respect to the outer element. The inner element slides back and forth between an open" and a closed position. In the closed position, the inner and outer elements cooperate to form a plurality of closed compartments of predetermined volume. In the open position, the particulate material in the container is capable of entering the compartments. The outer element is provided with a door for each of the compartments so that the measured contents of these compartments can be discharged, and the inner element is provided with an operating means which extends outside of the container and which, when operated, causes the inner element to slide with respect to the outer element.

The structure and operation of the device of this invention can be best described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along the line 11 of FIG. 2 illustrating, in elevation, one suitable outer element employed in this invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the outer element shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 4 illustrating an inner element suitable for use in the device of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the inner element illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view in section of the inner element and the outer element assembled and in open position.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of a container, such as a spice can, having a dispensing device embodying this invention assembled therein.

The device as shown in the figures is typically one that would be assembled in a spice can for dispensing such materials as nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon, or the like. It is illustrated as having three compartments one for dispensing A teaspoon, one for dispensing A teaspoon, and one for dispensing 1 teaspoon of particulate materials. Obviously, any desired volume for the compartments may be provided. The outer element illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is generally fixed within the container. The outer element, generally designated 10, has an upper wall 11 having, in this case, three openings designated 12, 13 and 14. The openings 12, 13 and 14 are provided with doors l5, l6 and 17 respectively so that the compartments which will be formed as described hereinafter can be closed. The upper wall 11 may be the upper surface of a container such as a spice can.

The outer element 10 is also provided with three lower walls, 18, 19 and 20, each of which is spaced a different distance from the upper wall 11. The outer element also is provided with side walls 21 and 22. In this description designating 11 as the upper wall and l8, l9 and 20 as the lower walls is simply for purposes of description in that containers having the dispensers of this invention fixed in them may be used either in the upright position or the upside down position as permanent positions of use so that upper and lower may be reversed if one chooses to employ his container and dispenser in that mode.

The wall 22, in this embodiment, is provided with a slot 23 for an operating handle to protrude through.

The sliding inner element is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The inner element includes a front wall and a rear wall for each of the compartments. As illustrated, the front wall of one compartment may act as the rear wall of another. Walls 24, 25, 26 and 27 are such walls. For purposes of this description, the leading wall, as the inner element is moved toward a closed position, is considered the front wall. Thus, wall 24 is the front wall of the compartment 28. Wall 25 is the rear wall of compartment 28 but the front wall of compartment 29. Wall 26 is the front wall of compartment 30 but the rear wall of compartment 29. Wall 27, of course, is the rear wall of compartment 30 and performs no other function.

The inner element also has side walls 31 and 32. The length of the front wall 24 is such that it will fit closely but will slide between the top wall 11 and the bottom wall 18 of the outer element 10; and the front wall 25 will fit closely but will slide between the top wall I 1 and the bottom wall 19; while the front wall 26 will fit closely but will slide between the top wall 11 and the bottom wall 20. When the inner element is entirely within the outer element, it is evident that chambers 28, 29 and 30 will be completely enclosed between the top wall 11, the bottom walls 18, 19 and 20, the front and rear walls 24, 25, 26 and 27, and the side walls 31 and 32. With respect to containing material, side walls 21 and 22 are redundant, but the operating means 31 may connect to wall 32 and protrude through the slot 23 in side wall 22 without causing leakage of particulate material.

FIG. 5 illustrates the inner and outer elements in open position. In FIG. 6 the relationship between the container for particulate material and the dispenser of this invention may be seen. In container 6, the operating handle 33 is positioned to protrude from the-wall 31 through a slot in the wall 21 for purposes of illustration. The level of spice or other material in the container 34 is illustrated at 35. To employ the device of this invention, the operating handle 33 is moved to the right as illustrated in FIG. 6 so that the inner element and outer element are in the position shown in FIG. 5. In this 3 position, particulate material can enter each of the chambers 28, 29 and 30 by flowing around the walls l8, l9 and 20 respectively if the container shown in FIG. 6 is in upside down position with respect to how it is illustrated.

When chambers 28, 29 and 30 have been filled by inverting and possibly shaking the container 34, the operating handle 33 is moved to the left as illustrated in FIG. 6. When operating handle 33 is moved, wall 25 moves into sealing relationship with wall 18; wall 26 moves into sealing relationship with wall 19; and wall 27 moves into sealing relationship with wall 20. In this position, the chambers 28, 29 and 30 are filled with particulate material and sealed from the main body of particulate material within container 34. Container 34 may then be inverted and three measured quantities of particulate material are retained in chambers 28, 29 and 30. When it is desired to dispense, for example, teaspoon of the particulate material, the door is opened and a container 34 is inverted so that the contents of chamber 28 are discharged through the opening 12. The contents of chamber 29 and the contents of chamber 30 are not so discharged. It is obvous that if a teaspoonful is to be dispensed, then the door 16 is opened; and if 1 teaspoonful is to be dispensed, then the door 17 is opened so that the appropriate chamber of chambers 28, 29 or 30 is discharged rather than the others. It is also obvious that combinations of doors may be open, for example, if teaspoons of the material is to be employed.

The device of this invention may be employed in a container 34 which may still employ its conventional opening such as a door 36. The device of this invention may be employed with smaller containers 34 such as ordinary spice boxes for kitchen use; or it may be employed with larger containers; and, in fact, it may be employed with containers fl'rat are maintained with the wall 11 as the bottom wall at all times so that simply operating the handle 33 without inverting the container will cause the compartments 28, 29 and 30 to fill with each motion of the inner element from the closed position to the open position and back into the closed position.

The operating handle 33 may extend through the top wall 11 or through an end wall of the container 34 so long as its operation will cause the inner element to move between open and closed positions. If desired, the door 36 may be eliminated because with the inner element in open position, any of the doors l5, 16 or 17 could cause the contents of the container 34 to be discharged; however, the door 36 may be a conventional opening which is provided, for example, with a shaker top as well as a direct opening to the interior of the container.

When permanently installed in a container, such as a spice can, some of the walls of the elements of this invention may be provided by the walls of the container itself.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser for permanent attachment to a container of flowing particulate material comprising an outer element fixed with respect to the container and an inner element which is slidable with respect to the outer element between open and closed positions; and where, in closed position, the inner element and outer element cooperate to form a plurality of closed compartments of predetermined volume, said outer element including for each of said plurality of closed compartments an upper wall, a lower wall and two side walls but no front or back walls, with the distance between the upper wall and the lower wall for each compartment being different and with one of the upper wall and the lower wall of each closed compartment having a closable opening to dispense particulate material, said inner element including for each of said plurality of closed compartments a front wall, a back wall and side walls, but no upper wall and no lower wall, an operating means disposed to extend outside of said container and, when operated, to slide said inner element with respect to said outer element between open and closed positions, and means for attaching said dispenser to a container for particulate material.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 permanently fixed within a container for particulate material.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said operating means is fixed to a side wall of said inner element and extends through a slot in a side wall of said outer element.

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1. A dispenser for permanent attachment to a container of flowing particulate material comprising an outer element fixed with respect to the container and an inner element which is slidable with respect to the outer element between open and closed positions; and where, in closed position, the inner element and outer element cooperate to form a plurality of closed compartments of predetermined volume, said outer element including for each of said plurality of closed compartments an upper wall, a lower wall and two side walls but no front or back walls, with the distance between the upper wall and the lower wall for each compartment being different and with one of the upper wall and the lower wall of each closed compartment having a closable opening to disPense particulate material, said inner element including for each of said plurality of closed compartments a front wall, a back wall and side walls, but no upper wall and no lower wall, an operating means disposed to extend outside of said container and, when operated, to slide said inner element with respect to said outer element between open and closed positions, and means for attaching said dispenser to a container for particulate material.
 2. The dispenser of claim 1 permanently fixed within a container for particulate material.
 3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said operating means is fixed to a side wall of said inner element and extends through a slot in a side wall of said outer element. 